The Genius Pitcher Dad Throws for His Daughter - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 41
#41.
Ah….
A sigh echoed through Sajik Baseball Stadium.
The sound reverberated, ringing in my ears.
I heard disappointed murmurs from the crowd, and at the same moment, a loud voice rang out from the Dugout.
“Time!”
Looking quietly in that direction, I saw the Manager himself rising from the Dugout and making his way toward the Mound.
At the same time, I felt the Catcher and the infielders gathering toward me.
“I’m sorry.”
Kang Do-bin, my senior, bowed his head first and spoke to me.
His face looked genuinely apologetic, and I could feel the sincerity in his words.
“What? Why? No, you did great, hyung.”
This was sincere.
No matter that I’m the one throwing the ball, it’s entirely the Catcher’s responsibility to receive it. Until now, hasn’t he safely read the batter’s condition and sent me signs, allowing me to pitch inning after inning without a single hit or walk?
All of this is thanks to Kang Do-bin.
“Still… we were in the middle of a perfect game….”
He seemed to regret that greatly.
Well, it’s natural to be greedy when a perfect game hasn’t happened in the KBO League.
Of course, one has occurred in the 2nd Team before, but since it hasn’t happened in the 1st Team yet, that glory is incomparable to anything else.
“A perfect game? Today’s goal was four innings anyway. And I threw with a pitch count of sixty-five. Besides, we got this far because you did well all along, so don’t apologize.”
I gave Kang Do-bin a light tap on the rear and laughed.
Only then did Kang Do-bin laugh too, and the Manager arrived just in time.
“Good work. What do you want to do?”
Without hesitation, I answered his question.
“If the Bullpen is ready, I’ll head down. I’ve achieved my goal for today.”
“Thank you. And good work. Get some rest.”
“Yes, sir!”
I came down from the Mound with a smile.
Then the fans sent applause toward the Ground.
Clap clap clap—!
Kang Ho-jin—! Kang Ho-jin—!
I wasn’t fleeing or being driven off, nor was I coming down exhausted and forced. Since I had pitched well enough to confidently come down after handling the inning so far, I appreciated the cheers.
I tipped my cap to those fans and waved in greeting.
Clank—!
In the meantime, the Bullpen door opened and I could see someone burst out.
Kim Jin-ho, my senior, came toward the Mound with eyes burning fiercely with determination, gave me a thumbs up and tapped his chest.
“Yes, I’m counting on you.”
I answered his gesture of trust and entered the Dugout.
“Good work. Let’s ice it.”
“Yes.”
Even as I said it, my gaze remained fixed on the ground.
Honestly, I felt a deep sense of regret.
Part of me wanted to stay on the mound no matter what and face the remaining batters. My shoulders and elbows felt fresher than before, and I had the experience from my past life to draw upon.
But my control would likely have become erratic, making it impossible to manage the game smoothly. And I probably wouldn’t have been able to maintain the same level of performance as I had shown so far.
It wasn’t just about appearances.
I could have torn apart the picture of victory I had painted so carefully.
Rather than continuing the game with uncertainty instead of confidence, it was the right call to trust my seniors.
‘They’ve all prepared so hard.’
That was truly the case.
Every single day, they devoted themselves to analyzing the opposing team right up until bedtime after our games, and they put in extra training to match their preparations.
With seniors like that, I could trust them completely, so I turned away without hesitation.
Sigh.
Strangely, my chest felt at ease and refreshed, as if my body was also approving of my decision.
And so I headed to get iced.
* * *
A meat restaurant in Seoul.
Fans who didn’t know each other’s faces or names but were from the same region and all loved the Dolphins began filling the seats one by one.
There was an anticipation of watching baseball after so long, and knowing that everyone here was a fellow fan created a subtly excited atmosphere.
Play ball!
At least in the beginning, everyone enjoyed the atmosphere, sipping soju with grilled pork belly and neck meat.
Watching baseball together for the first time in ages felt as good as being at the stadium itself, and when the Restaurant Owner deliberately turned up the volume, the live sounds came through vividly. Everyone listened together.
Even the Busan Seagulls chant had been sung for the first time in ages, and the excitement made everyone feel like they’d returned to their youth.
But as the innings accumulated, the atmosphere grew tense.
Could it be?! Was it possible?! The emotions were written plainly across every face. Even the hands that had been reaching for chopsticks and soju glasses moments before were now slick with sweat, so they naturally set them down, and everyone quietly focused on the broadcast.
But when a hit batter reached base, that tension dissipated.
“Oh no, what a shame….”
“Come on, hold it together.”
“Tsk, it’s falling apart.”
It was more than regret—it bordered on frustration.
How disappointed must he be? Just as the Manager came out, everyone picked up their soju glasses with bittersweet hearts.
While perfection is indeed a rare record, seeing how well things had been going just moments before, the regret was unavoidable.
But contrary to what the fans were thinking, Kang Ho-jin was smiling broadly.
He even showed the composure to pat the apologetic Catcher on the backside, and instead thanked him, clearing the heavy mood.
Then, after finishing his conversation with the Manager, he came down from the mound without hesitation, and the broadcast cut to a commercial.
Only then did the customers begin eating and drinking again.
“Still, our future ace is definitely being born today.”
“Watching him pitch today, I think he’s going to do something big soon.”
“It’s really the first time in ages that I’ve watched baseball so comfortably.”
“Comfortably? You were so tense you couldn’t even touch the meat or soju.”
“I’m sorry we’ve taken up so much of your time, Restaurant Owner.”
Jang President laughed heartily at the guests’ words, waving them off.
“Haha. Today I’ve gathered only Dolphins fans here. Please, enjoy yourselves without worry.”
Jang President smiled as if to say that even just serving these tables today was more than enough.
Though today’s sales might suffer, he had celebrated Kang Ho-jin’s starting debut—the only autograph hanging in his restaurant.
It was more than satisfying as a fan to learn that he wasn’t merely a closer who pitched one inning, but someone capable of throwing longer stretches.
And among everyone present, there was one couple who sat quietly, their eyes fixed on the television—none other than Kang Ho-jin’s Parents.
Kang Chul-soo, the father, gazed at his son with unmistakable pride.
Wearing a fitted t-shirt after icing, his son looked like a general returning from a great war, and that filled him with pride.
Kim Young-hee, the mother, had been busy wiping away tears since earlier.
Though she was proud of her son, she wept with longing as she thought of her only granddaughter—unable to watch her magnificent father throw on the mound together with her, and knowing that wouldn’t change easily in the future.
Yet seeing him refuse to lose hope, throwing on the mound and working hard to become a father Ye-jin could be proud of when she awakened, was truly beautiful to witness.
‘Ho-jin… Ye-jin…’
Her son fought on the mound.
Her granddaughter fought in the Hospital Room.
Kim Young-hee quietly clasped her hands together in prayer, hoping their difficult struggle would end soon.
As she did, the game began.
– The Pitcher throws! The batter misses! A 1-6-3 double play!
– What was that? Kim Jin-ho! Was that a two-seam fastball just now?!
– With a changed pitching form, Kim Jin-ho’s first pitch resulted in a double play, turning runners on first with one out into two outs with a runner on first.
– Wow… the Dolphins Bullpen has transformed, and now the Clutch Team follows Kim Jin-ho. It seems the Dolphins have taken a step closer to victory.
At the Caster and Sports Commentator’s words, the restaurant grew even more lively.
“Yes! Excellent!”
“Let’s win like this!”
“Good!”
As if proving the atmosphere had truly ignited, a song about Busan Port echoed through the broadcast booth and into Sajik Baseball Stadium.
“On blooming Camellia Island~”
Following Jang President’s lead, the guests didn’t hesitate to sing along.
The legendary singer’s song filled the restaurant, followed by the mournful cry of a seabird, and then a boatman’s song.
The atmosphere ripened perfectly, with the Dolphins leading the way.
And they cried out.
“Oh! We won!”
“Yes! That was fun!”
“Father, Mother, you’ve worked hard.”
“Kang Ho-jin was absolutely incredible today. I’m buying his jersey right after this.”
“From today on, I’m a fan! A true fan who’ll support him!”
“Let’s watch together here often! Let’s cheer together!”
At the guests and fans’ congratulations, the couple quietly bowed their heads.
“Thank you.”
“We appreciate it.”
Kang Ho-jin’s parents beamed with smiles that lit up their entire faces.
It was a smile they hadn’t easily seen since Ye-jin fell ill—one that had finally returned after all this time.
The son who had restored such a smile to their faces filled them with immense pride and admiration.
As they watched their son appear for the interview, their smiles only deepened.
‘Our son did wonderfully.’
‘Our son is the best.’
They listened to the interview, hoping their heartfelt pride would reach Kang Ho-jin.
* * *
“We’re now with Kang Ho-jin, who was named today’s Player of the Game.”
“Hello.”
This wasn’t a Reporter I was meeting for the first time.
She was the same Reporter who had conducted my first interview, and her genuine tears upon hearing my story had sparked a surge in my recognition, making her increasingly popular.
“Congratulations on your first win. You pitched a perfect five innings. How did it feel?”
The interview was straightforward.
I explained how I managed the game and pitched with full effort every inning. Thanks to the Scouting/Analysis Team’s analysis and studying with Senior Pitcher Kang Do-bin, along with the other pitchers, I was able to complete five innings without incident. The leadoff batter in the sixth inning was something that could easily happen in any game, so I didn’t dwell on it.
“I was only able to stand on this Mound because of my parents. I wanted to express my gratitude and tell them that I love them.”
After that, I thanked the Manager, Coach, General Manager, the Scouting/Analysis Team, and my senior teammates.
“Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the Chairman, our team’s owner, for helping with my daughter’s treatment. I promise not to betray the Chairman’s kindness and will do my best on the Mound.”
I bowed respectfully, intending to end the interview there.
But the Reporter didn’t let me go.
“Actually, there’s one more person left.”
At those words, I sent her a grateful look and spoke toward the camera.
“I love you, my daughter Ye-jin.”
“This concludes the interview with Kang Ho-jin, the winning pitcher for the Dolphins.”
I thanked the Reporter for conducting such a flawless—indeed, perfect—interview.
“Thank you.”
Normally I would just exchange pleasantries and move on, but something shifted in the Reporter’s eyes.
“Really? Then would you do me one favor?”
Her request was simple.
She asked for my autograph, and without hesitation, I signed an unworn uniform still in the Locker Room and handed it to her.
“I remain neutral during work, but personally, I’ll be rooting for you, Kang Ho-jin. Congratulations on the win.”
“Thank you.”
And so I gained another fan.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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